LAWTON - The Cameron Aggie baseball team looks to win their second series of the year and stay hot at home, as they host non-conference opponent Augustana Vikings.
Cameron will play host to the Vikings from South Dakota over the weekend, marking their second straight home series in the midst of a three-series homestand. The Aggies have found a lot of success against Augustana traditionally, with the all-time series record standing at 21-2 in favor of the Black and Gold. However, the two squads have only clashed four times since 1992.
When these two teams get together, throughout the record books, the Vikings look to continue their stretch of dominant baseball. For the second time in as many years, AU has been pegged for first in the NSIC preseason poll. That is in large part due to the preseason pitcher of the year, Senior hurler Max Steffens, as well as preseason NSIC player of the year, Jordan Barth.
Barth hit for a .471-average a year ago, an impressive team-high. If you believe in carrying over hit-streaks season-to-season, Barth is riding a 13-game streak, earning a hit in each game of the 2020 season.
Right behind him, was Carter Howell who turned in a .440-average. The Aggie hurlers will look to keep the ball in the park against Jaxon Rosencranz who slapped six homers in the shortened 2020 season.
The Vikings have the edge in experience not only with nine juniors and nine seniors but their skipper, Tim Huber, has been around the block a time or two. Huber enters his 13th season at Augustana, a resume that features 417-wins. In 2018, Huber delivered a National Championship to the Vikings. His program is in for another successful run, earning votes in the preseason NCBWA Division II top-25. A poll that features three Lone Star Conference members. Friday represents opening day for the Vikings as they match up with the Aggies at McCord Field.
For CU, they come in with a 3-3 record, winners of two of their last three games, and earning their first series win of the year against Eastern New Mexico last weekend.
The Aggies are lead on offense by Lone Star Conference player of the week nominee,
Beau Williams. The Frisco, Tex. native turns in a team-high .478 average, starting in all six of the Aggie games. Williams has earned a double, triple, and home run as part of his 11 hits to the tune of an above .700 slugging percentage. Even while taking his turn at the top of the order,
Beau Williams has still plated six runs, a testament to the hitters behind him.
Ryan Carter narrowly edges out Williams for the team-high in RBIs, Carter has plated 7 runs while posting a slash line of .236/.440/.526 with a team-high three errors while playing in all six games for CU.
Jayce Clem has been phenomenal through the first six games, turning in a .391 average at the dish, with a pair of home runs, and a trio of doubles. Clem has also bailed the black and gold out, out of the bullpen a few times this season. Even earning an extra-inning win on the bump a weekend ago.
Senior pitcher
Michael Womack found his groove in his second start of the year last weekend, going 6.2-innings on one-hit ball against the Hounds. Womack punched out five batters and is in line to get the Friday start again this weekend.
In their first and only four-game set of the year,
Kyle Williams will need more arms. One arm that surprised a weekend ago was
Marcos Feria. He got the nod on Saturday to wrap up the series against Eastern New Mexico, and tossed 4.2-innings with 10 punchouts, and only allowed two hits.
The series gets underway on Friday, March 5, with first pitch set for 2 p.m. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, of the 7-inning variety, with first pitch of game one slated for 12 p.m. The series finale will also take place at noon on Sunday, March 7. McCord Field is open to the public with masks and social distancing required. All four games of the season will be streamed via the LSC Digital Network.
